Convert your Background layer into a regular layer by navigating to Layer > New > Layer from Background.
- Photoshop User Guide
- Introduction to Photoshop
- Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
- Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
- Get to know the workspace
- System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
- Create, open, and export documents
- Add photos
- Work with layers
- Draw and paint with brushes
- Make selections and add masks
- Retouch your composites
- Work with adjustment layers
- Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
- Apply transform operations
- Crop and rotate your composites
- Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
- Work with Type layers
- Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
- Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
- Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
- Manage app settings
- Touch shortcuts and gestures
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Edit your image size
- Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
- Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
- Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
- Work with Camera Raw files
- Create and work with Smart Objects
- Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
- Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
- Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
- Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
- Content aware fill for iPad
- Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
- Common questions
- System requirements
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Supported file types
- Introduction to the workspace
- Open and work with cloud documents
- Generative AI features
- Basic concepts of editing
- Quick Actions
- Work with layers
- Retouch images and remove imperfections
- Make quick selections
- Image improvements with Adjustment Layers
- Add a fill layer
- Move, transform, and crop images
- Draw and paint
- Draw and edit Shapes
- Work with Type layers
- Work with anyone on the web
- Manage app settings
- Generate Image
- Generate Background
- Reference Image
- Photoshop (beta) (not available in mainland China)
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
- Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
- Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
- Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
- Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
- Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
- Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
- Unable to create or save a cloud document
- Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
- Collect cloud document sync logs
- Invite others to edit your cloud documents
- Share files and comment in-app
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Preferences
- Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
- Create documents
- Place files
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Tool galleries
- Performance preferences
- Use tools
- Presets
- Grid and guides
- Touch gestures
- Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
- Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
- Technology previews
- Metadata and notes
- Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
- Place Photoshop images in other applications
- Rulers
- Show or hide non-printing Extras
- Specify columns for an image
- Undo and history
- Panels and menus
- Position elements with snapping
- Position with the Ruler tool
- Web, screen, and app design
- Image and color basics
- How to resize images
- Work with raster and vector images
- Image size and resolution
- Acquire images from cameras and scanners
- Create, open, and import images
- View images
- Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
- Viewing multiple images
- Customize color pickers and swatches
- High dynamic range images
- Match colors in your image
- Convert between color modes
- Color modes
- Erase parts of an image
- Blending modes
- Choose colors
- Customize indexed color tables
- Image information
- Distort filters are unavailable
- About color
- Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
- Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
- Sample
- Color mode or Image mode
- Color cast
- Add a conditional mode change to an action
- Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
- Bit depth and preferences
- Layers
- Layer basics
- Nondestructive editing
- Create and manage layers and groups
- Select, group, and link layers
- Place images into frames
- Layer opacity and blending
- Mask layers
- Apply Smart Filters
- Layer comps
- Move, stack, and lock layers
- Mask layers with vector masks
- Manage layers and groups
- Layer effects and styles
- Edit layer masks
- Extract assets
- Reveal layers with clipping masks
- Generate image assets from layers
- Work with Smart Objects
- Blending modes
- Combine multiple images into a group portrait
- Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
- Align and distribute layers
- Copy CSS from layers
- Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
- Knockout to reveal content from other layers
- Selections
- Get started with selections
- Make selections in your composite
- Select and Mask workspace
- Select with the marquee tools
- Select with the lasso tools
- Adjust pixel selections
- Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
- Create a temporary quick mask
- Select a color range in an image
- Convert between paths and selection borders
- Channel basics
- Save selections and alpha channel masks
- Select the image areas in focus
- Duplicate, split, and merge channels
- Channel calculations
- Get started with selections
- Image adjustments
- Replace object colors
- Perspective warp
- Reduce camera shake blurring
- Healing brush examples
- Export color lookup tables
- Adjust image sharpness and blur
- Understand color adjustments
- Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
- Adjust shadow and highlight detail
- Levels adjustment
- Adjust hue and saturation
- Adjust vibrance
- Adjust color saturation in image areas
- Make quick tonal adjustments
- Apply special color effects to images
- Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
- High dynamic range images
- View histograms and pixel values
- Match colors in your image
- Crop and straighten photos
- Convert a color image to black and white
- Adjustment and fill layers
- Curves adjustment
- Blending modes
- Target images for press
- Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
- Adjust HDR exposure and toning
- Dodge or burn image areas
- Make selective color adjustments
- Adobe Camera Raw
- Camera Raw system requirements
- What's new in Camera Raw
- Introduction to Camera Raw
- Create panoramas
- Supported lenses
- Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
- Radial Filter in Camera Raw
- Manage Camera Raw settings
- Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
- Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
- Rotate, crop, and adjust images
- Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
- Process versions in Camera Raw
- Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
- Image repair and restoration
- Image enhancement and transformation
- Drawing and painting
- Paint symmetrical patterns
- Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
- About drawing
- Draw and edit shapes
- Painting tools
- Create and modify brushes
- Blending modes
- Add color to paths
- Edit paths
- Paint with the Mixer Brush
- Brush presets
- Gradients
- Gradient interpolation
- Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
- Draw with the Pen tools
- Create patterns
- Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
- Manage paths
- Manage pattern libraries and presets
- Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
- Create textured brushes
- Add dynamic elements to brushes
- Gradient
- Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
- Paint with a pattern
- Sync presets on multiple devices
- Migrate presets, actions, and settings
- Text
- Filters and effects
- Saving and exporting
- Color Management
- Web, screen, and app design
- Video and animation
- Printing
- Automation
- Troubleshooting
Discontinuation of 3D features in Photoshop
Photoshop’s 3D features will be removed in future updates. Users working with 3D are encouraged to explore Adobe’s new Substance 3D collection, which represents the next generation of 3D tools from Adobe. Additional details on the discontinuation of Photoshop’s 3D features can be found here: Photoshop 3D | Common questions on discontinued 3D features.
Learn how to mask layers to hide and reveal parts of your composite
Topics in this article:
Add a mask to a layer and use the mask to hide portions of the layer and reveal the layers underneath.
Masking layers come in handy when combining multiple photos into a single image or when removing a person or an object from a photo.
You can create two types of masks:
- Layer masks are resolution-dependent bitmap images that are edited with the painting or selection tools.
- Vector masks are resolution independent and are created with a pen or shape tool.
Both layer and vector masks are nondestructive, which means you can go back and re‑edit the masks later without losing the pixels they hide.
In the Layers panel, both the layer and vector masks appear as an additional thumbnail to the right of the layer thumbnail.
For the layer mask, this thumbnail represents the grayscale channel that is created when you add the layer mask. The vector mask thumbnail represents a path that clips out the contents of the layer.
Follow these steps to create a layer or vector mask over the Background layer.
-
-
Use the Add layer mask icon at the end of the Layers panel to add a Layer Mask.
-
Use the Density and Feather sliders to make adjustments to your composite.
You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region. A layer mask is a grayscale image. The areas you paint in black are hidden, the areas you paint in white are visible, and the areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency.
A vector mask creates a sharp-edged shape on a layer and is useful anytime you want to add a design element with clean and defined edges. After you create a layer with a vector mask, you can apply one or more layer styles to it, edit them if needed, and instantly have a usable button, panel, or other web-design element.
The Properties panel provides additional controls to adjust a mask. You can change the opacity of a mask to let more or less of the masked content show through, invert the mask, or refine the mask borders, as with a selection area.
When you add a layer mask, you can hide or show all of the layer, or base the mask on a selection or transparency. Later, you’ll paint on the mask to precisely hide portions of the layer, revealing the layers beneath.
Add a mask that shows or hides the entire layer
-
Make sure that no part of your image is selected. Choose Select > Deselect.
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer or group.
-
Do one of the following:
- To create a mask that reveals the entire layer, click the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers panel, or choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.
Add a layer mask that hides part of a layer
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer or group.
-
Select the area in the image, and do one of the following:
- Click the New Layer Mask button in the Layers panel to create a mask that reveals the selection.
- Alt-click (Win) or Option-click (Mac) the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers panel to create a mask that hides the selection.
- Choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection or Hide Selection.
To directly edit layer transparency, do the following and create a mask:
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer.
-
Choose Layer > Layer Mask > From Transparency.
Photoshop converts transparency into an opaque color, hidden by the newly created mask. The opaque color varies greatly, depending upon the filters and other processing previously applied to the layer. This technique is helpful for video and 3D workflows.
Apply a layer mask from another layer
Do one of the following:
- To move the mask to another layer, drag the mask to the other layer.
- To duplicate the mask, Alt-drag (Win) or Option-drag (Mac) the mask to the other layer.
Layer masking is a nondestructive way to hide parts of an image or layer without erasing them. They're great for making image composites, modifying background colors, removing or cutting out objects, and targeting your edits so they affect only certain areas, rather than the entire layer.
Mask All Objects is a quick and easy way to create layer masks for all detected objects in a layer. It will auto-generate mask layer groups, on separate layers, for every object detected on the selected layer with one command.
Mask All Objects is great for creating selections from the auto-generated masks, targeting the layer, then applying edits such as Generative Fill, adjustments, or filters. For example, if you have six people in an image, each person will be masked on their own separate layer group, as well as one mask for the entire group of people.
Follow these steps to learn how to use Mask All Objects in the Layers tab in Photoshop:
-
Mask all objects
Select a single layer, either go to Layer > Mask All Objects, right-click on the layer in the Layers panel, or go to the Layers panel flyout menu and select Mask All Objects.
-
Add an Adjustment to the Masked Layer
In the Layers panel, find the mask associated with the object you would like to adjust.
Select a layer mask group - you can now add any adjustment or filter you want to the masked object.
Select Adjustment > Hue Saturation at the end of the Layers panel and move the color slider until the selection is green. The adjustment is applied to the layer mask group.
Tip:- To view on canvas what is being masked, CMD + click on the layer mask to select with marching ants,
- Select Move tool and turn on Show Transform Controls in the Move tool options bar + select the layer mask to view the masked object.
- Turn on smart guides, select a layer, hold down the CMD key and the mask will be highlighted on canvas with smart guides.
-
After your masking work is complete, go to File > Scripts > Delete All Empty Layers to remove groups or layers that contain no or empty data.
By default, a layer or group is linked to its layer mask or vector mask, as indicated by the link icon between the thumbnails in the Layers panel. The layer and its mask move together in the image when you move either one with the Move tool . Unlinking them lets you move them independently and shift the mask’s boundaries separately from the layer.
To unlink a layer from its mask, click the link icon in the Layers panel.
To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask, click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the Layers panel.
Disable or enable a layer mask
Do one of the following:
- Select the layer containing the layer mask you want to disable or enable, and click the Disable/Enable Mask button in the Properties panel.
- Shift-click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
- Select the layer containing the layer mask you want to disable or enable, and choose Layer > Layer Mask > Disable/Enable.
A red X appears over the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel when the mask is disabled, and the layer’s content appears without masking effects.
Apply or delete a layer mask
You can apply a layer mask to permanently delete the hidden portions of a layer [*]. Layer masks are stored as alpha channels, so applying and deleting layer masks can help reduce file size. You can also delete a layer mask without applying the changes.
[*] Pixels are hidden, not deleted when applying layer masks with discontiguous areas.
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer containing the layer mask.
-
Do one of the following:
- To remove the layer mask after applying it permanently to the layer, click the Apply Mask icon at the bottom of the Properties panel.
- To remove the layer mask without applying it to the layer, click the Delete button at the bottom of the Properties panel, and then click Delete.
You can also apply or delete layer masks using the Layer menu.
Note:You cannot apply a layer mask permanently to a Smart Object layer when deleting the layer mask.
For easier editing of a layer mask, you can display the grayscale mask by itself or as a rubylith overlay on the layer.
-
In the Layers panel, do one of the following:
- Alt-click (Win) or Option-click (Mac) the layer mask thumbnail to view only the grayscale mask. To redisplay the layers, Alt-click or Option-click the layer mask thumbnail. Alternatively, click the eye icon in the Properties panel.
- Hold down Alt+Shift (Win) or Option+Shift (Mac), and click the layer mask thumbnail to view the mask on top of the layer in a Rubylith masking color. Hold down Alt+Shift or Option+Shift, and click the thumbnail again to turn off the color display.
-
Double-click the layer mask channel in the Channels panel.
-
To choose a new mask color, in the Layer Mask Display Options dialog box, click the color swatch and choose a new color.
-
To change the opacity, enter a value between 0% and 100%.
Both the color and opacity settings affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying areas are protected. For example, you may want to change these settings to make the mask more easily visible against the colors in the image.
-
Click OK.
Use the Properties panel to adjust the opacity of a selected layer or vector mask. The Density slider controls mask opacity. Feather lets you soften mask edges.
Other options are specific to layer masks. The Invert option reverses masked and unmasked areas. The Mask Edge option gives you various controls to modify the mask edges, such as Smooth and Contract/Expand. For information on the Color Range option, see Create and confine adjustment and fill layers.
Change mask density
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer containing the mask you want to edit.
-
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
-
In the Properties panel, drag the Density slider to adjust the mask opacity.
At 100% density, the mask is opaque and blocks out any underlying area of the layer. As you lower the density, more of the area under the mask becomes visible.
Feather mask edges
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer containing the mask you want to edit.
-
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
-
Drag the Feather slider to apply feathering to the mask edges.
Feathering blurs the edges of the mask to create a softer transition between the masked and unmasked areas. Feathering is applied from the edges of the mask outward, within the range of pixels you set with the slider.
Refine mask edges
-
In the Layers panel, select the layer containing the mask you want to edit.
-
In the Layers panel, click the Mask thumbnail. A border appears around the thumbnail.
-
Click Select and Mask in the options bar. You can modify mask edges with the options in the Select and Mask workspace and view the mask against different backgrounds.
-
Click OK in the Select and Mask workspace to apply your changes to the layer mask.